It was an impromptu decision to go mandarin orange picking as we saw rows and rows of fruit trees ripe with the seasonal fruit during our car rides around Xinshe.
We were just in time for ponkan-picking as the harvest is from November to December. According to statics from Taichung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station, ponkan mandarin (椪柑) is the 9th most planted fruit in Taichung district. With a planting area of 1,543 sq.m, the production is around 31,000 metric tons. The main areas of production are in Dongshi, Beitun, Fengyuan, Shigang and Xinshe District.
Li Yuan Leisure Farm (茘园休闲农场) in Dakeng of Beitun district, Taichung （台中大坑） was recommended to us by our hostess in Still True Minsu (初心旅行农庄民宿-何家牧场). The leisure farm is open to visitors for fruit picking throughout the year with different fruits planted in their vast compound. The fruits and their availability are as follows: lychee and longans (from Jun to Aug), ‘ponkan’ and ‘murcott tangor’ mandarin oranges (end Oct to Jan) and guavas (year-round).
We had intended to have lunch at their restaurant but unfortunately it was not opened due to lack of manpower on a Christmas Eve.
Admission charge is at NT$50 per person. Visitors can pick and eat as many mandarin oranges as they can within the orchard. Mandarin oranges, that are to be brought out of the farm, are sold at NT$45 per jin (0.5kg). A deposit of NT$100 is required on each pair of scissors too.
To get to the ponkan trees, we had to climb up and down a hillock to get to the orchard. The slope is quite steep so it could be challenging for the very young and very old. Thankfully, there is a pavillion along the upslope which can be used as a rest station on the way up. After not more than 10 minutes stroll, we finally reached the orchard.
Another round of ‘treasure-hunting’, but this time it wasn’t as easy as the earlier strawberry and mushroom picking. The bigger ones were mostly high up in the trees or in some hard-to-reach corners.
Tip from the staff : pick the big and heavy ones.
The area where the mandarin orange trees are planted isn’t exactly big. We didn’t count the number of trees but certainly there ain’t more than a hundred of them.
We ate as we picked the fruits from the trees, enjoying the fruits at their freshest. Taichung’s ponkans are said to be juicer but less sweet. The ponkans we picked were as good as their reputation. Even though Mummy’s not a citrus-lover but even then, I ate quite a number of the yummy juicy oranges. Safe to say that we ate at least 20 mandarin oranges among the 6 of us. A figure unimaginable back home! We also picked some to be brought home.
The view from one of the rest areas.
Go armed with insect repellent though. We didn’t and were waving our hands around to keep the buzzing mosquitoes at bay while eating. Haha…we must have looked quite a sight! And even then, we ended up with multiple bites.
Li Yuan Leisure Farm also offers DIY activities, barbecue and farm-made fruit products such as orange jam, orange jam-filled crackers and orange oil cleaning agent. We just happened to be there on the ‘wrong’ day and hence did not get to do anything beyond picking the fruits.
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Read more about our trip itinerary and the other places we visited during the trip in Taiwan 2016 – Family Trip Itinerary.
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Useful information
Li Yuan Leisure Farm
Address: 北屯区大坑里东山路2段136号
Tel: +886 4 2239 3797
Web information (in Chinese only): 茘园休闲农场 Facebook Page